A CAPA Alumna Interview: Anna Budny

Photo: Cliffs of Moher, Country Clare, Ireland

Meet Anna Budny, a Psychology major at Ursinus College who studied abroad in Dublin in the spring 2017. Below, she talks about why she chose to study in Dublin, what it's like to leave the United States for the first time, and how she made life-long international friends.

CAPA WORLD: Tell us a bit about yourself.
ANNA BUDNY: I studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland at Griffith College. I attend Ursinus College back in the States and I am a psychology major. At Ursinus, I play on the women’s soccer team. Some of my hobbies include drawing, painting, and hiking.

Corissa is an official CAPA blogger for summer 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Psychology major at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, she is studying abroad in London this semester.

In this week's post, Corissa talks about the things she does at her internship, and her interest in psychology.

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Thanks Corissa!

Corissa's journey continues every Friday so stay tuned.

Maita is an official CAPA blogger for summer 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Kinesiology major at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, she is studying abroad in London this semester.

In this week's post, Maita tells us where to get the top 10 latte's in London (and a few tips elsewhere!).

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For those that have read my blog biography on CAPA’s website, I have exciting news; the anticipation is finally over! The coffee-fanatic within me has been having the time of her life trying lattes’ from Goldhawk Road to Central London.  In this blog post, I present to you a list of London’s top ten (and more) lattes I have been indulging in over my stay.

10. Starbucks

I am a creature of habit, as some may say.  Although I have a Starbucks right down the street from my apartment at home, I thought it was only fitting to at least get one drink in London from my favorite chain.  Although my love for Starbucks is never-ending, on my list of London’s lattes I have to rate it for my unoriginality at number 10.

Good news, though, this was a one time experience.  In my travels to Paris I was able to stay away from Starbucks!

Madeline Messina is an official CAPA blogger for summer 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. An Advertising major and a French and Francophone Studies minor at the University of Florida, she is studying abroad in Dublin this semester.

In her last post, Madeline reflects on what she learned in Dublin, and tries to condense it to her top ten takeaways from her experience.

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It is surreal to be back home after living my life in Dublin for the past 10 weeks. It seems like everything I see or do reminds me about my journey and the life I was living. I already miss Ireland more than I thought I would. I also miss the amazing people I met along the way. Being back in the States makes me think about all of the things I was lucky enough to experience, and also everything I learned while independently living in another country. I learned an incredible amount of lessons while abroad, and while it’s difficult to narrow it down, I’ve listed my top ten takeaways from the experience that may help a future study abroad student.

1. Take time for yourself to recharge

I learned early on that in order to be able to see and do everything I wanted to, I had to take time out to recuperate from previous travels. We are so busy every day with work, class, homework, and personal travel, that it’s hard to remember to take care of yourself. But it’s important to get an adequate amount of sleep, eat right, and relax every once in a while, to be able to enjoy yourself more.

Every country has their own idioms that mean something totally different than what they first appear to. You might say to your friend, “Wow! That cost an arm and a leg.” If someone from another country heard you- well, let’s just hope they don’t take it literally or they may get worried! If you think about it, you can probably come up with quite a few other unique phrases you use in daily life.

This is a common phenomenon that you'll encounter no matter where you go. To help you out, we’ve rounded up 10 important English colloquial phrases to know in Sydney that will help you speak like the locals!

1. Ace! = awesome, excellent

This is a phrase you'll probably hear every day. It can be used in any context to describe something that you find cool or amazing.

Cat Gloria is an official CAPA blogger for summer 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Journalism major at the University of Florida, she is studying abroad in Dublin this semester.

In this week's post, Cat travels to Dingle, known for it's beaches as coastal scenery.

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I decided to take my very last trip here in Ireland out to a cold, mysterious peninsula called Dingle. Its name means "the place where people feel safe" according to our tour guide. We stayed the night in an old mansion converted into a hostel in Killarney. It even had a room with red velvet couches and paintings that stare at you.

A CAPA Student Interview: Sarah Pressler

Photo: Me & Mauro. Meeting up with an old Twitter friend before the program started. I never thought we'd ever meet in real life, but here we are enjoying Italy! What a treat.

Meet Sara Pressler, a Public Administration major and Honors Studies minor from Texas State University who is studying abroad in Florence this semester, summer 2017. Below, she talks about being a recipient of the Gilman Scholarship, why she chose to study abroad, and ways you can look for more scholarship opportunities.

CAPA WORLD: Tell us a bit about yourself.
SARAH PRESSLER: My study abroad program has brought me from Texas State University in San Marcos, TX, to Florence, Italy. I'm finishing up my bachelor's degree in Public Administration and my minor in Honors Studies. In the fall I'll begin working on my Masters in Legal Studies with ABA Paralegal Certification. Texas State University is currently the only college in the state of Texas to offer a combination degree program where you earn your Masters AND certification as a Paralegal through an ABA (American Bar Association) program. It's an amazing opportunity for those of us who want to work in the legal field but do not want to, or cannot, attend law school. I'm looking forward to diving into the program! Other than academics, at the moment, my hobbies and interests are focused on my four children ages 20, 17, 15, and 13. Between home life and academic life, the only other interest I have is napping!

Words by Emily Kearns, a CAPA Florence study abroad alumna. Emily will be writing a column called "Remembering Florence" on CAPA World the first Friday of every month.

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It’s no surprise that technology is becoming more prevalent each and every day, and even though some students like to disconnect while they’re overseas, the truth of the matter is that millennials still spend way too much time on their phones and social media. However, while you’re abroad in Florence, there are quite a few scenarios when being on your phone can be very useful, especially since not everybody speaks English in the city. Here are 10 apps that I suggest downloading before you head there:

1. Firenze Up!

This app allows you to find events going on in and around the city of Florence. Going to events and any cultural celebrations in Florence will help you integrate into and learn more about this historic city, so Firenze Up! will be a great resource for you while you’re abroad.

Corissa is an official CAPA blogger for summer 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Psychology major at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, she is studying abroad in London this semester.

In this week's post, Corissa tells us about the history of two towns east of London.

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Thanks Corissa!

Corissa's journey continues every Friday so stay tuned.

Words by Colin Speakman, Resident Director for CAPA Shanghai. Colin also writes a monthly column, “Connecting Global Cities”, which posts the third Thursday of every month.

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CAPA students coming to study in Shanghai  (and indeed any foreigner coming to China intending to make local contacts) need to open a WeChat account - and before they set off from home. If not familiar with WeChat, think of What's App the messaging platform. 

However WeChat goes much further in its role in China. It is owned by Tencent which is already Asia's biggest company by value and those that know forecast it to be one-of the top three in the world in the coming decade.

Photo: The WeChat App bottom left on Colin's smartphone